I didn't mean this will be the last season of the game, it's just that if I win, next season I won't be participating but I will still organize it.
OK
Then I misunderstood your announcement.
But then also ; for many reasons I disagree with your announcement of not participating next season.
If I'm right about your motives to do this announcement, in short ; you feel "burdened" to win it again, and wish someone else to win it too.
But maybe I misunderstood this also, so correct me if I'm wrong about your motives.
If I'm right about your motives, these are the many reasons why I disagree with your announcement :
1. To organise the prediction game, the organisation itself does not give you any advantage in the game.
So that you are organising it, is no reason not to participate.
2. Perhaps you think you have an advantage with your lists of GC contenders, and that is one of the reasons of your announcement.
True, this might give you an advantage, but being smarter than other participants is no reason not to participate.
And in my opinion your list is just a very rough indication, because there are many unknown variable, and important factors.
Too many factors to mention, but let's give one example ; the tactics used by a manager can make a big difference.
Also in my opinion ; a participant who is very good in estimating where cyclists have their TC bonus,
he has more advantage of his smartness, as you do with your lists. Again ; being smart is no reason not to participate.
This game is fun gambling, for example you don't even know if your predicted cyclist will ride that tour if he is not in your own team.
3. Ok, let's assume you are the "van der Poel" of the prediction game, therefore an example ;
Next season there is just one cycling race, the world championship road race, all other races and tours are cancelled.
And van der Poel is asked to organise the WC race.
Of course he is competing too.
But this same situation is going on for a few years, and everytime van der Poel won this only cycling race of the season.
So he announced not to participate next season, so someone else can win too.
What van der Poel then does not realise, that he is devaluating the WC race and even takes the glamour, prestige and fun out of it.
Because the future winner always gets to hear and knows himself that he won, because van der Poel was not competing.
It is way more fun, prestigious and glamourous to beat van der Poel in the by him organised WC race.
But van der Poel himself takes away this opportunity, by not competing.
Out of respect to his rivals, van der Poel should compete.
And understandable that he makes the thinking mistake that he does not want to participate out of respect to his rivals,
but that is a wrong thought and only a thought/feeling that he has himself. His rivals think very different about the same situation.
What brings me to reason 4.
4. I cannot speak for everyone, but I assume everyone agrees with this ;
if I am not good enough to win the predicition game, too bad, of course I would like to win it myself, but if that is not the case and someone else wins it, my second favorable for someone to win it, would be the one who organised this in a great way like you do, Ophiuko.
Maybe you feel burdened to win it many times, but that is just what you feel,
I assume that all other participants feel differently as you do, it is even the opposite of what you feel.
If you are the most smart or the most lucky or a combination of this, you deserved the victory.
And by not competing next season, you keep your own myth alive that you are too good compared to all others,
let us prove we can beat you, and if not, my advice to you is ; try to enjoy another victory.
Of course, if you cannot enjoy that you win, but just enjoy organising it, only then I can have respect for your announcement.
Although I would really regret that, and I assume all other participants regret it too.
Much more fun for us if you compete next season too.
If I would make a poll on the forum with the question ;
do you want that Ophiuko competes next season too, despite that he is the "van der Poel" of the prediction game ?
I predict that all 100% of the answers would be : YES !
If I would add the answer-possibillity of "YES, I would love that Ophiuko is competing next season too",
then I predict that everyone choses this option.
Way more then enough text about this, although I could write on with many more good reasons why I disagree with your announcement.
And again ; maybe I misunderstood your motives of your announcement.
Then the only positive thing of my text is that some people had a long text to read on a Sunday afternoon.
ps ; my main goal in the prediction game is to beat you, that will be very difficult if you are not competing next season.
Of course, all respect if you don't want to compete next season, even if it is for the in my opinion not right reasons.
Poll